Shower bath head



June 149 1932., L. BLOCH 1,863,548

SHOWER BATH HEAD Filed May 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l fj Z `lune 14, 1932.L. BLOCH sHowER BATH HEAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 3. 1930 Paume .lune14.1932

fUNITED STATES PixraN'l'o1-"Fujii:y

LEON BLOCH, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, AssIGNon, BY IrEsNn ASSIGNMENTS, ToSPEAK- IIAN Comm, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION or DELAWARESHOWER BATH HEAD- Application nlved May s, 1930. serial No. 449,462.

This invention relates vgenerally to a shower bath head and moreparticularly to an adjustable shower bath head by means of which thespray openings therein may be adjusted so as to vary the lineness of thespray.

The main objectof the invention is to provide an adjustable shower bathhead of the character described which comprises comparatively few partswhich can be readily assembled or disassembled and which may bemanufactured at comparatively low cost.

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A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable showerbath head in which the spray openings are disposed about the peripherythereof and which is provided with means for adjusting the sizes ofthese openings so as to vary the force and size of the spray.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shower bath head whichconsists essentially of inner and 'outer casings adjustably mounted withrespect to each other, one of said casings having a plurality of sprayopenings disposed about the periphery thereof, together with simple andeffective means for adjusting the relative position of said casings tovary the size of the spray openings.

Further and more limited objects of the invention will a pear as thedescription proceeds and by reerence to the accompanying drawingsin-which Fig. 1 is avertical sectional view illustrating the preferredembodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line3--3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in front elevation on aslightly exaggerated scale illustratin the shape of the openingsprovided about t e periphery of the inner casing;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View disclosing a modified form of myinvention; Fig. 6 is a fragmentarydetail view in vertical sectionsimilar to Fig. 5 but showing the shower head adjusted to such a ositionas to permit maximum flow; Fig. i) is a detail view partly in sectionand partly in elevation disclosing the adjusting member for adjustingthe fineness of the spray; and Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view onthe line 8-'8 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 1.- designates asupply ipe having a threaded outer' end over whihh is secured an outercasing 2 having a downwardly depending substantially circular portion 3"terminating in a flared substantially cupshapedportionY 4. Adjustablymounted -within the outer casing 2 is an inner casing 5' tially straightface or cylindrical portion 8 and an inner angular face or conicalportion 9. The inner casing 5 is open at its inner end and disposed inopen communication with the supply pipe 1. The inner'casing is .alsoprovided with a pair of oppositely disposed ports 10 and 11 whichprovide communication between the inner casing and the space between theinner casing and the outer casin J ournaled in the outer casing 2 is asha 12 which is held in place by a packing-13 and a packing gland 1 4.The inner end of the shaft is provided with an eccentrically disposedportion or projection 15 which engages in 'a' rectangular slot 16provided in the inner Asis clearly shown inthe drawlngs, and par-`ticularly in Fig. 4, the notches or grooves 18 extend in the generaldirection of the axis of the cylindrical surface 8, but are inclined tosaid axis so that each groove terminates at its outer end in thecylindrical surface 8 and terminates at its other end in the conicalsurface 9. Each groove 18 is thus tapered, increasing in cross sectionfrom each end to .loo

the junction of the surfaces 8 and 9. It will be seen, therefore, thatby adjusting the position of the inner casing with respect to the outercasing, the size. of the Lspray o enings may be varied so as tol obtaina very e needle spray or a soft coarse spray. The shape of the notchesin the periphery of the inner casing enables these spray openings to benely adjusted or completely closed as desired. Due to the shape of thenotches 18 and also due to the fact that the notches are provided in theangular face 9 a very line adjustment may be obtained. Due to theparticular arrangement of parts and the shape of the notches 18, it willbe seen that thee ectiVe size of the spray openings is a straight linefunction of the relative position of the inner and outer casings.

In Figs. to 8 inclusive there is disclosed a slightly modified form ofmy invention. In this Jform of the invention the outer casing 19 is ofslightly different shape and is threadedlj7 secured to a supply pipe 20.The outer casing 19 `is provided with an interiorly threaded portioninto which is secured a disklike member 21 having openings 22, 23, 24and 25 therein disposed as shown most clearly in Fig. 8. The member 21is provided with a downwardly extending stem or guide portion 26 thepurpose of which will hereinafter appear. Secured to the member 21 is adisklike valve member 27 having a threaded stem ortion 28 which engagesin a threaded socket m the stem portion 26. The valve member 27 isprovided with openings 29, adapted to be moved more or less intoalignment withthe openings 22, 23, 24` and 25, respectively. This valvemember serves to adjust the rate of ow of the liquid to the shower head.Slidably and adjustably mounted on the stem or guide member 26 is amember 30 having a hollow stem portion 31 which fits over the stem 26.The lower end of the member 30 is substantially circular in shape andlits Within an annular recess provided in the lowouter casing, saidlnner casing having a sub- ,stantlally annular/ end portionV havmg apluer end ofi the outer casing. The member 30 is shown in detail in Fig.7 and` is provided about its periphery with a plurality of angularnotches or recesses 18a of substantially the same shape as the notches18 described in connection with'the embodiment of the invention shown inFigs. 1 to 4 inclusive. Jour. naled in the outer casing 19 is a shaft 32which is held in place by washer 33, packing 34 and packing gland 35.The inner end of the shaft 32 is provided with an eccentrically disposedcrank or projection 36 which is adapted to engage in a recess or notchprovided in the upper end of the stem 31 as shown most clearly in Fig.5. Secured to the other end of the shaft 32 is an operating lever orhandle 37 by means of which the position of the inner member 30 may beadjusted with respect to the outer casing 19. It will, therefore, be

'seen that'by adjusting the position of the member' 30 with respect tothe outer casing the efective size of the spray openings may be variedso as to obtain a ve fine needle spray or a soft coarse spra 1:Ihe shapeof the notches about the perip ery of themember 30 enables these sprayopenings to be very finely adjusted. Disposed between the valve member27 and the stem 26 is a coil spring which surrounds the stem 28 andwhich serves to place a slight tension on the valve member to maintainit in the adjusted position. By adjusting the position of the/valvemember 27 the effective size of the openings 22, 23, 24 and 25 maybeadjusted so as to vary the rate of flow therethrough. The parts are sodesigned that the member 30 may be moved to the position shown in Fig. 6whereupon the water will bb delivered from the shower head in an annularsheet rather than as a spray. In other respects this form of theinvention is substantially the same as the form of the inventiondisclosed in Figs., 1 to 4 inclusive.

It will now be clear that I have provided an adjustable shower bathheadwhich will accomplish the objects of the invention as hereinbeforestated. Various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangementof the various parts without departing from the spirit of my invention.The particular manner of adusting the relative position of the inner andouter casings may also be modilied without departing from thespirit ofmy invention.- It is therefore to be understood that the embodiments ofthe invention herein disclosed are merely illustrative and are not to beconsidered in a limiting sense and that the invention is limited only inaccordance with the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimis:

1. A shower bath head comprising a supply pipe, an outer casing securedthereto, an inner casing adjustably mounted within said outer casingland disposed in open communication with said supply pipe and with saidrality of peripheral notches therein extendingin the general directionof the axis of said annular portion and'each tapered in the direction ofits length cooperating with the wall' of said outer casing to define aspray i opening through which water supplied to said casingsby saidsupply pipe is discharged, and means for adjusting the position-ofsaid-inner casing to vary the size of said spray opening.`

2. A shower bath head comprising an outer casing having oneendthreadedly secured to a supply pipe, and its opposite end flaredoutwardly to vprovide a substantially cup-shaped portion, an innercasing adjustably mounted in said outer casing and having a peripheralsurface iitting within the cupshaped portion of said outer casing, andhaving tapered angular notches' disposed about relative position of saidcasings to vary the,V

size of said openings.

'3. A shower bath head com rising an outer casing'having one end threaedly secured to a supply pipe and its opposite end ared outwardly toprovide a substantially cup-shaped portion, an inner casing adjustablymounted in said outer casing an havin a peripheral surface fittingwithin the cup-s aped portion of said outer casing, said surfacecomprising a cylindrical outer ortion and a conical inner portion andhaving peripherally disposed substantially V-shaped notches each formedpartly in said l conical' surface portion and having its outer end insaid cylindrical-surface portion, and means for adjusting the relativeposition of saidcasings in the direc- A tion of the axis of saidcylindrical surface portion.

4.. A shower bath spray head, embodying a hollow casing; a closure diskfor the open end of the casing, the circumference of the disk slidablyittin the annular surrounding inner surface o the casin to permitrelative longitudinal adjustment etween the casin and disk, one of saidannular surfaces forme with an annular series of spaced verticaldownwardly shallowing water jet forming grooves covered by the otherannular surface, the shallow lower ends of which constitute the jetdischarge orifices, the capacities of which are varied by verticaladjustment of said disk, and supporting means for the disk and wherebythe samev is rendered vertically adjustable.

5. A spray head embodying a housing having a pressure water inlet, thelower portion of the housing having a cylindrical vertical inner surfaceterminating in a downwardly enlarged skirt; a vertically adjustableclosure disk for and in the bottom of said casing, the circumference ofsaid disk having an annular series of grooves extending throughout thevertical length thereof and decreasing indepth downwardly, thecircumference of the disk engaging said cylindricalinner surface of thecasing with a running fit, and supporting and adjusting means for saiddisk, whereby the disk can be lowered within said cylindrical portion toincrease the capacity of the outlet ends of said grooves, and wherebythe disk can be dropped below said cylindrical portion for -flushing andcleansing the` grooves.

6. A spray head embodying a housing having a pressure water inlet, thelower portion ofthe housing having a cylindrical vertical inner surface;a vertically adjustable closure disk for and inthe bottom of saidcasing, the circumference of said disk having an annular series ofgrooves extending throughout4 the vertical length thereof and decreasinin depth downwardly, the circumference o the 'disk engaging saidcylindrical inner surface of the casing with a running fit, andsupporting and adjusting means for said disk, whereby the disk canbelowered withinl said cylindrical portion to increase the capacity ofthe outlet ends of said grooves, and whereby the disk can be droppedbelow said cylindrical portion for flushing and cleansing the grooves.

7. A shower bath spray head comprising in combination a shell formedwith a single Water outlet opening, the cross sectional area of which isapproximately equal to the maximum internal cross sectional area of saidshell, a flow obstructing device extending into and adjustablelongitudinally of said opening and formed with a multiplicity of narrowgrooves extending longitudinally of said opening and varying in crosssection in the direction of their lengths and uniting with the wallv ofsaid outlet opening to form iiow channels the aggregate cross sectionalarea of which is varied bythe longitudinal adjustment of said device insaid outlet opening,

and means for adjusting said device longitudinally of said opening.

8. A shower bath spray head comprising iin combinati-on a shell formedwith a water inlet and with a single circular water outlet opening, thecross sectional area of which Vis approximately equal to the maximuminternal cross sectional area of said shell, a flow obstructing deviceof generally circular outline extending into and adjustablelongitudinally of said outlet opening and formed with a multiplicity ofnarrow peripheral grooves extending longitudinally of said opening andvarying in cross-section in the direction of/their lengths and unitingwith the wall of said outlet opening to form iiow channels the aggregatecross sectional area of which may be varied by longitudinal adjustmentof said device in said outlet opening, the aggregate width of lsaidgrooves in their outer` end portions being equal to a small fractiononly of the circumference of said device, and means for adjusting saiddevice longitudinally of said outlet opening. 9. .A shower bath headcomprising a casing member formed with an outlet opening the inner wallof which is cylindrical, a

member having a peripheral surface comprising a cylindrical outer endportion exouter portion ending in said cylindrical surface portion, andmeans for adjusting said member axially of said outlet opening tothereby vary the size of said spray openings.

10. A shower bath head comprising a supply pipe,l an outer casingsecured thereto, an

inner casing a outer casing and comprising a disc portion extendingacross the space within the outer casing with a flange at its peripheryand having a plurality of notches-in its peripheral surface extending inthe general Jdirection of the axis of said disc and flange and eachtapered in the direction of its length and cooperating with the Wall ofsaid outer casing to define a spray opening through which Water suppliedto said casings by said supply pipe is discharged, and means foradjustingl the position of said inner casing to vary the size of saidspray opening.

ln testimony whereof, l hereunto aix my signature.

LEON BLOCH.

Lacasse` djustably mounted Within said y

